FDA Canadian 217 LASIK Study
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As a LASIK trainer for over 5 years and one of the original LASIK pioneers with the Technolas 217 scanning laser, Dr. Probst was asked to be a principal investigator for the Technolas laser FDA trials in January 1999. These trials are independently monitored and verified by the FDA of the United States and are the most vigorously controlled clinical evaluations of an excimer laser. Patients must undergo 6 months of rigorous and controlled pre- and post-operative testing.
While most clinical statistics quoted by surgeons are unsubstantiated, the FDA clinical outcomes are verified by independent monitors. There is no input from either the surgeon or the center.
The Technolas 217 scanning laser is equipped with PlanoScan 2000 software and utilizes a flying spot delivery system which scans a 2mm spot across an 8 to 9 mm zone to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The laser is equipped with an active eyetracking system which follows the eye during treatment to improve clinical results and safety. It should be noted that the eyetracker was not utilized during FDA trials so patients now having the procedure with Dr. Probst routinely have even more advances available to them.
Clinical results from other similar but less rigorous trials are at left for comparison. (The CRS trials were multi-center physician monitored LASIK trials which were submitted to the FDA for LASIK approval of both the Summit and Visx lasers.) It is also important to note that during the clinical study none of Dr. Probst's patients encountered any corneal flap complications resulting in any loss of best corrected vision. Therefore an exceptional safety record complimented the superb clinical results.
Although the clinical study only evaluated mild to severe myopia and astigmatism, Dr. Probst has been routinely treating hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism and mixed astigmatism since 1996.
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